A document reader which operates in a consecutive conveying mode reads the image on one side of documents consecutively (for example, refer to JP-2001-343792-A and JP-2008-11556-A). When the document reader terminates the consecutive conveying mode, the reader needs to forcedly discharge the residual documents in it while it is inhibiting documents from being fed into it.
A document reader of a certain type has a main conveying path, an auxiliary conveying path, a pickup roller, and conveying rollers. For structural simplicity, the pickup roller is interlocked with the conveying rollers. One of the conveying rollers conveys a document along the two paths. For structural simplicity, this conveying roller rotates in one direction. While documents are fed consecutively into this reader, it may be necessary to stop the feeding and force the document or documents remaining in the reader to be discharged. The forced document or documents may be wrinkled or otherwise damaged and jam the conveying path or paths.
The object of the present invention is to provide a document reader having a main conveying path, an auxiliary conveying path, a pickup roller, and conveying rollers, the pickup roller being interlocked with the conveying rollers, one of the conveying rollers being adapted to rotate in one direction and convey a document along the two paths, the reader being able to discharge the residual document or documents in it forcedly without damaging the document or documents when consecutive feeding is stopped.